Vending machine



April I 1924.

L. R. SPOONER ET AL VENDING MACHINE Filed March 21. 1923 2 Sheets-$heet1 April 1 1924. 1,489,168

L. R. SPOONER ET AL VENDING MACHINE Filed March 21. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet2 awe/Hm La: Fqg 5 00/463! Pea/Z lf 'r ag Q-bbou my Patented Apr. 1,1924.-

om'reo STATES 1,489,168 PATENT orrica.

'LEE ROY SPOONEB AND PAUL L. GRAY, F WATEBTOWN, SOUTH DAKQTA.

.vmtnmo momma Application me Iarch 21,1923. 01-1121130. eaacor.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LnnRoi'r Sroonnn and PAUL L. GRAY, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Watertown, in the county 5 of Codington andState of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Vending Machines, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

lhis invention relates to vending machines and more particularly tovending machines for elongated articles of substantially uniformdiameter, such as pencils.

An important object of the invention is to provide a rotatable articlesupport for use in a vending machine of this character constructed tosupport a plurality of different types of the same class of article andto selectively align a selected type with an 2 ejector mechanism bymeans of which it may ,be expressed from a machine.

A further object of the invention 'is to provide a device of thischaracter in .which the articles to be vended may be readily insertedand by means of which the inserted articles are always maintained inposition for ejection when aligned with the ejector.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for preventing anoperation of the machine when the aligned portion of the machinecontains no article to be vended.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means forpreventing theft of such articles through the opening through which theyare ejected by the plunger.

These and other objects we attaln by the construction and arrangementshown in the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose ofillustration is shown a preferred embodiment of our invention andwherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of a vending machineconstructed in accordance with our invention;

Figure 2 therethrough is a vertical sectional view Figure 3 is anenlarged detailed sectionalview showing the operation of the ejector;and A Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective of the rotatable supportemployed.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10indicates a casing divided by a central horizontal partition 11 intoupper and lower compartments 12 and 13. In the upper compartment 12 isdisppsed a rotary sup ortldfor the articles to vended. and in t e lowercompartment is disposed any suitable coin release lock plunger mechanismsuch as generally indicated at 15. lhrough the front wall of the lowercompartment 13 projects the end of a plunger 16 and this wall isprovided at its upper end with an opening 17 by means of which a coinfor releasing the plunger may be inserted, the coin release mechanismnot being herein specifically described, but be-. ing shown similar tothat described and claimed in our co ending application, serial No.626,606, led March 21, 1923, for coin release locks for vendin machines.

The top, front and side wa ls of the upper compartment are preferablyformed of trans arent materia such as heavy glass, and t e rear wallthereof embodies a hinged section formed in two pivotally connectedportions 18 and 19. The upper section 19 may be thrown'down to permitaccess to the rotatable supporting member '16 hereinbefore referred to.In the lower section a shaft 20 has its rear end rotatably mounted, thefront end thereof extending through a bearing 21 mounted in a crossbar22 extending transversely of the front wall, the outer end of the shaftbeing provided with an o crating knob 22 by means of which it mayoperated. Between the front and rear walls of the section 12 the shaft20 has mounted 90 thereon a pair of spaced discs 23, each rigidlysecured to the shaft. Each of these discs is provided with a pluralityof radially extending slots 24, the alternate slots 24 being short for apurpose presently to appear.

Each disc is provided at its eriphery with a flange 25, the flange 25 ofthe rear disc 28 having formed thereon or secured thereto a plurality ofcam members 26 affording therebetween spaces 27, the rear face of thesecams being in the form of a peak as indicated at 28. In the presentinstance we have illustrated certain of these cams as inte lly formedand other of the cams as 105 app ied to the flange 25 and securedthereto, the last named cams having an extended forward portion 29, theforward end of which is secured to the flange 25. of the for ward disc23 so that these discs are firmly 0 held in proper s aced relation andthe peripheries of the iscs rendered rigid one to the other. a I

When the discs are so secured the slots of the discs align with oneanother, the long slots of one disc aligning with the long slots of theother. Through the slots of the front discs 23 bolts 30 are inserted,the heads 31 arranged forwardly, the rear ends of the bolts beingthreaded and having applied thereto a retaining nut 32, the heads 31 andnuts 32 of the bolts being of greater size than theslots and accordinglymaintaining the bolts against displacement by the slots. These boltswill roll upon the walls of the slots 24 and accordingly will bearranged at the inner ends of the slots at the upper sides of the discsand at the lower ends of the slots at the lower sides .of the discsprovided the slots are free from articles to be vended. By inspectingFigure 1 of the drawings, the reason for forming certain of the slotsshorter than the remaining slots will become obvious, the shortening ofalternate slots permitting passing of the heads of the bolts 30 andpreventing interference with the bolt of one slot by the bolts ofadjacent slots. At the same time it permits certain of the slots to beextended for the greatest possible distance into the disc. In fillingthe same with the articles to be vended, the upper section 19 of therear wall is thrown down and the pencils or other articles are insertedthrough the slots of the discs 23. so that they rest upon the bolts 31,the upper half of the discs being filled. When the shaft is rotated toplace these filled slots toward the bottom of the case, attention iscalled tothe fact that as these filled slots approach the bottom theweight of the bolts 30 is placed upon the pencils in the slots and thepencils accordinglyforced downwardly until they come in engagement withthe inher faces of the flanges 25 at which time if the slot in whichthey repose be aligned with the ejector mechanism they will bepositioned for ejection.

The second half of the machine may'then be filled and the machine placedin operation. The plunger 16 hereinbefore referred to has an upwardextension 33 directed through a slot 34 formed in the partition 11. Theupper end of this extension is provided with a guiding plunger 35 and anarticle ejector 36. The guidmg plunger 35 is ada ted to engage the wheelat the outer sur ace of the flange 25 of the rearmost disc 23 and bythis engagement intermediate the cams 26 thereof to rotate the wheelsufficiently to provide an exact ali ment of the selected slots 24containing se ected articles between the discharge opening 37 of thefront wall and the article ejector 36 as the plunger is moved forwardandprior to the engagement of the article ejector with the article.Continued forward movement of the plunger results in the machine beingmoved forwardly so that its forward end is projected outwardly of thecasing through the opening 37 where it may be removed by the purchaser.If in the operation of the machine a slot from which all of the articlesto be vended have been removed is aligned with the ejector 36, theejector in its forward movement will engage in lieu of the end of thearticle to be ejected the rear end of the bolt 30 occupying the slot,and since forward movement of this bolt will be prevented by the nut 32thereof,

movement of the plunger is prevented prior I to the time when the lockreleasing coin by means of which the plunger has been released formovement is positioned, so that the plunger may be released and thewheel rotated to bring a slot having an article therein into alignmenttherewith.

From the foregoing it is believed to be obvious that by constructing ourmachine in accordance with the foregoing, means are provided whereby thearticles are fed to the proper position for ejection and forsimultaneously holding a great many different varieties of sucharticles. Means are also provided preventing loss of possible customersthrough failure of the machine to deliver an article. At the same timean extremely simple and durable device is provided and one which may bemanufactured at a relatively low cost. It has often been noted that withmachines of this type, the articles carried by the machine aresurreptitiously removed through the discharge opening 37 thereof. Inorder to prevent such occurrence we provide about the outer end of thisopening a truncated cone-shaped cap 38 having an opening in its outerend aligning with the opening 37 and having at its inner end a pair ofsprings 39 which yield outwardly to permit a passage of the vendedarticle but which hold against inward pressure and close the passageexcept during the discharge of a vended article.

What is claimed is 1. In a vending machine, a casing, asupport'rotatable within the casing, the casing having an opening formedin the wall thereof and being provided with an ejector shiftable towardand away from'the o ening, the lower portion of the periphery o therotatable support being arranged in the path of the ejector, saidsupport having radial merchandise slots formed therein selectivelyalignable with the ejector and opening, and means slidable in the slotsforcing merchandise contained therein downwardly in the selected slot toalign with said ejector and limiting the movement of the ejector whenthe merchandise of the slot is exhausted.

2. In a vending machine, a casing, a support rotatable Within thecasing, the cas of the ejector when the merchdise of the.

slot is exhausted, comprising n member slideble in the slot end hevingat its ends enlnrgemcnts shutting the d i of the support.

for rotetin the support to n a:

3. In it vendin machine, ecnsing, e. support rotntnble within thecesing, the cusing having on opening formed in the well thereof endbeing provided with en ejector shiittnble toward and sway from theconing, the lower portion of the peripery of the rotntnble support beingnrrnnged in the puth oi the ejector, seid support having redinlmerchandise slots formed therein selectively nligneble with the ejectorend opening, and menns slidehle in the slots torcing merohendisecontained therein downwnrdly in the selected slot to align with saidplunger end limiting the movement of the lunger when the merchandise oithe slot is exhausted, end inesns curried by the ejecto engaging snid.support in edvnnce of the ejector end nccurntely nligning the selectedslot with the ejector.

e, in n vending mechine, e cesing, n support roteteble within the casingand including spaced discs hnving aligned ally entcndmg slots formedtherein, the cos hnving an opening formed in the well there,

of with which the outer ends of the slots ere nlignnble, moonscxteriorly oi the cusing for rotnting the support to elign. u

' selected slot with the opening, and members slidublc in said slotsheving enlor ed por- .tions :ibuttin remote feces of said iscs andseeking the ower ends of said slots by grnvity es the support isrotated.

5. ln s, vending machine, it casing, n sup port rotatable within thecasing end including spaced discs hnving aligned rndia lly extendingslotsviormcd therein, the casing having an opening formed in the wellthereof with which the outer ends of the slots are alignnble, mennsenteriorly of the cnsin u sclecte slot with t e opening, memberssliduble in ssid slots hevin enler ed portions abutting remote feces 0said discs. and seeking the lower ends of snid slots by vity es thesupport is rotated, and on egector aligned with the opening and engnginthe lowermost erticle conteined in the s ots of said discs aligned withthe open and projecting the same through the opening of the casingduring its forward movement.

6. in a vending machine, a casing, a support rotatable within the casingend. including spaced discs having aligned radially extending slotsformed therein, the casing having an openin formed in the well thereofwith which t e outer ends of the slots ere alignnble, means exteriorlyof the easin tor ting the support to align e. seected slot with theopenin, members slideble in, said slots heving surged portions shuttingremote faces of said discs and seeking the lower ends of said slots bygravity es the support is rotnted, and en ejector aligned with theopening and engaging the lowermost article contnined in the slots ofsaid discs aligned with the opening and projecting the some throughtheopening of the cnsing during its forward movement, end means carried bythe ejector end engaging the support in ndvunce oi the ejectoreccurntely aligning n selected slot between the @JJQCMI' end theopening.

7. A merchandise support for vending mnchines of the (she-rectordescribed, comprising o sheit't, spaced discs secured to the shelt, enchprovided with e peripheral ilnn, rndiu-l slots formed in said discs, andmembers slideble in said slots having portions abutting remote feces ofthe discs.

8, In u merchandise support for vending machines, at she-it, a. pole ofspnced'discs curried b the shaft end having peripheral flanges, n ignedrndiel slots formed in said disc, n'lternete slots having their innerends further remote from the axis of the discs then the remeining slots,and bolts slideble.

in corresponding slots of the discs having their hends abutting theouter face of one disc and provided upon the opposite end with n nutabutting the outer face of the other disc,

9. In a merchnndise support for vending muchines, n sheiit, n pair ofspaced discs carried by the shaft end having peripheral finnges, nlignedrsdialslots formed in said disc, alternate slots having their inner endsfurther remote from the axis of the discs than the remaining slots, andbolts slidable in corresponding slots of the discs having their headsshutting the outer face of one 7 disc end provided upon the opposite endwith n, nut abutting the outer face of the other disc, and positionincams attached to the ilnnge of one of seid ises.

10. in e merchendise support for vendingmachines, at shaft, e pair ofspaced discs carried by the shaft end having peripheral hen, elignedredial slots formed in said disc, alternate slots hsving'their innerends further remote from the axis of the discs in corresponding slots ofthe discs having their hoods shutting the outer fees of one then theremaining slots, end boltsslideble having an opening formed in the wallthereof with which the outer ends of -the slots are alignable, meansexteriorly of the casin "for rotating the support to align a selecterfslot with the opening, and members 's'lidable-in said slots havinenlarged portions abutting remote faces of said discs and seeking thelower ends of said slots by'gravity'as the support is rotated, and atruncated coneshaped member having its base abutting the outer surfaceof "the casing about'said opening and provided at its outer end with anopening aligning with the opening of the casing, and means within saidmember permitting passage of an article from the opening of the casingand preventing passage of an article from the opening of the outer endthereof.

12. In a vending machine, a casing, a sup- -port rotatable within thecasing and including spaced discs'having aligned radially extendingslots formed therein, the casing having an opening formed in the wallthereof with which the outer ends of the slots are alignable, meansexteriorly of the casing for rotatin the support to align a selectedslot with t e opening, and members-slidable in saidslots having enlargedportions abutting remote faces of said discs and seeking the lower endsof said slots by gravity as the support is rotated, and a truncated coneshaped member having its base abutting the outer surface of the casingabout said opening and provided at its outer end with an openingaligning with the opening of the casing, and means within said memberpermitting passage of an article from the opening of the casing andpreventing passage of an article from the opening of the outerendthereof, comprising a pair of springs yielding against pressure fromwithin the casing and normally the 'sam'e.

overlying the opening of the casing to close 13. A merchandise supportfor vending 14. Ina vendin' machine, a casing, a

support rotatable within the casing, the casing having an opening formedin the wall thereof ahdfbeing provided with an ejector shiftable towardand 'awayfrom the opening, the lower portion of the periphery of therotatable support being arranged in the path-of the ejector, saidsupport having radial merchandise slots formed there- 'in "selectivelyalignable with the ejector and opening. means slidable in the slotsforcing merchandise contained therein downwardly in the selectedslot toalign with said ejector and limiting movement of the ejector when themerchandise of the slot is exhausted, and coacting means upon saidejector and suppoi t'for accurately ali in a-selected slot between theejector an sai opening.

15. A merchandise support for vending machines of the characterdescribed, comprising a shaft, spaced discs secured to the shaft, eachprovided with a peripheral flange, -radial slots formed in said discs,members slidable in said slots having portions abutting remote faces ofthe discs, and positioning cams attached to the flange of one of saiddiscs, certain of said cams being provided with extensions rigidlyengaging the flange of the other disk.

16. A merchandise support for vending machines of'the characterdescribed, comprising a shaft;-'spaced discs secured to the shaft,aligned-radial? slots formed in said discs, and means associated withthe discs for'shifting-merchandise within the slots toward the outerends'of theslots when the 'merchandise'in the slot is beneath the shaft.

our signatures.

' LEE ROY sPooNER.

PAUL L. GRAY. I

